1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an application executing method, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with an application executing program. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus into which an application program can be installed, an application executing method executed by the image forming apparatus, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with an application executing program for causing a computer to execute the application executing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some recent image forming apparatuses, typified by multi-function peripherals (MFPs), allow application programs to be installed therein. A user can customize an MFP by installing therein an application program according to the type of usage.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-084383 describes an image forming apparatus which brackets portions common to applications as a common system service, forms a platform using the common system service and a versatile OS, and installs a printer application, a copy application, and other various applications on the platform.
According to this conventional image forming apparatus, the portions common to applications were formed as a common system service on the platform. Thus, for developing a new application, a developer had to understand the common system service and the versatile OS. With such a conventional apparatus, an application developer would have to have a high level of skill to control the hardware resources of the image forming apparatus.